Pretty Little Wager
by Psycho Sally
Summary: Daryl Dixon was a born scavenger, but when he comes across a girl in a bar across town, all bets are in. Daryl/OC. Rated M for sexual content. Don't say I didn't warn you! Started as a one shot, but due to popular request decided to pull it into a whole story. New chapters coming soon. Let me know what you guys think.
1. All Bets are In

Scavenging was something Daryl Dixon had been doing his entire life… so when the apocalypse hit, there wasn't much of a transition for him between his life as a backwoods, redneck hunter, to a survivalist. There were few things he really missed from the past… so few he could list them on his hand. His brother.

Bars.

And girls.

Especially girls.

Dixon was the type of man who, outwardly seemed like the type of guy to only want sex… and who would find any skank in the world to get it from, but, despite appearances, he had standards. For instance, he was always partial to dark hair and bright eyes like his own. Fair or tan clear skin was always a must but she had to know her way around a gun, just as well as the bed room. Surprisingly, he loved intelligent women. Playing dumb was just never something Daryl was appreciative of. He wanted someone who could be straight forward and answer his questions and carry on conversations… not just look at him wide eyed and bite her lip to change the subject. He wasn't a fan of a small girl with no figure either. She had to be curvaceous but still in shape enough to race him through the mud in the clearing of the woods he liked to go hunting in. He had never found the perfect woman and always lowered his standards to relax an animalistic need for sex, leaving his brother to high five him afterward and himself to head to the doctor to get tested for some sort of disease.

Bars were the best places to satisfy lusts. Get a girl drunk enough and she'd throw herself at you… down a few more yourself, and she'd look pretty enough to accept it. He remembered this as he walked into a bar on the east end of town. After killing a few walkers, he ran his hand along the dusty, oak bar, almost hearing the chatter around the room and the clink of bar glasses as drinks were poured and tossed back causing everyone in the room to become very friendly. His thoughts were abruptly stopped as he heard a sigh from behind the bar. He raised his crossbow and set it on his shoulder, only to be confused by a sleeping girl, laying quietly curled up behind the bar. She was covered in a blanket which, itself, was covered in the insides of some undead person who had been used to save her life. He could tell she was either asleep or dead from the way her face poked out from the blanket, eyes closed, red and black hair rising and falling with each wispy breath. Not wanting to take the chance he loaded his arrow and aimed it at her head.

_Shit, if she's alive, it's best she dies in 'er sleep, I guess._ Daryl thought, _Shame though. Pretty little thing._ He was just about to pull the trigger when she sat up and immediately pointed nine millimeter at his head. "You been bit?" He muttered, still aiming at her sun burnt forhead.

"No… you?"

"No." They both lowered their weapons reluctantly and Daryl approached her slightly as she pulled her blood soaked blanket from her body. She was covered in hazmat equipment except on her head, which she removed shortly after throwing her blanket off of herself. Her gloves came off first, revealing long, manicured nails and clean hands which moved quickly to unzip the tainted one piece suit. After that was removed Daryl paused to marvel at her young body. She was slightly tanned with gray looking eyes, which sparkled like silver when the sunlight hit them. Her hair was dyed fire engine red with a black under layer and the tank top and short shorts she was wearing revealed enough flesh to make a walker drool… as well as Dixon. She obviously took care of herself, using supplies from local drug stores. He'd not seen a girl so well put together in a long long time. "You're crazy sleepin' in here. There were 'least three walkers when I got in and they were active."

"I wasn't wearing that blanket for shits and giggles." She mumbled, stretching her arms to reveal a belly button ring under her shirt along with a few tattoos. She was obviously legal… not that it mattered much anymore.

"What?"

"The scent scares em off." Daryl nodded, he could smell liquor emanating off of her. A sign she'd been drinking the night before.

"Hung over?"

"Slightly." She grinned a little, her silver eyes sparkling. "What'd you come in here for?"

"Booze. Ran out at the joint I'm stayin at."

"You won't find much here…not anything strong, anyway… but I can show you a place down the road that's still stocked." Daryl nodded, following the young stranger out of the bar and heading to another down town. He watched as she knifed a walker on her own then walked away like a stone cold killer.

_This bitch is fine as hell._

They walked into the bar and she flicked on the light, killing the bartender soon afterward. "Damn, honey, slow your roll."

"You want liquor? Here you go." She opened the back cabinet revealing tons of liquor bottles. They both felt like kids in a candy store.

As Daryl went hard at work shoving all sorts of alcoholic beverages into his bag, Sadie hopped on the bar, allowing her long legs to sway back and forth in the air, like a little girl on a swing set. Dixon, without looking up from the warning label on a bottle of Smirnoff, mumbled, "You alone?"

"Yeah. They- uh… they got my sister."

"My brother too." Daryl said, shoving the previous bottle in his pack and reaching for another. His expression was cold… his mind was screaming in agony.

"Not somethin' that can be undone…" He looked up at her with steel blue eyes. "Name's Daryl Dixon."

"Sadie Lorne." The girl said, nodding in his direction with a half cocked smirk. She looked off in the direction of the window. The stained glass casted rays of blue and red light onto her face, causing the bar to look like sunset had already marked the end of another agonizing day. Daryl finished packing his bag and slung it onto his shoulder, causing the bottles to clink together inside. Sadie looked at him, almost disappointed he was finished so quickly, and extended her hand. "It was nice to meet you, Mr. Dixon."

Daryl shuttered at the sound, and shook it from his head in an instant. "Daryl." He muttered, not extending his own hand. " 'sides, don't know what you're sayin' bye for. I ain't done with you yet."

She raised her eyebrow, confused. "Hmm?"

"How bout you an me…" He walked to her, standing between her legs and setting his free hand on her jaw line while the other held his bag securely on his strong shoulders. "Go find some place to be alone?"

"Now, Daryl, what kinda girl do you take me for," she gasped teasingly, leaning closer to his mouth.

"The sensible kind," He smiled back, wanting to take her then and there. "You an I both know it's just human nature… Now, how bout you show me some place in this town the walkers won't hear us."

"I'm not sure we'll have to worry about that," she sighed, avoiding his hungry stare as another smirk crossed her lips. "I don't think a guy like you can make a girl like me scream." The challenge had been issued. Daryl threw his things on a nearby booth and locked the door of the bar, quickly coming back to her and grabbing her by the back of her neck before she could speak anymore. His lips crashed into hers in a fit of passion so strong, she could have swore he'd left bruises, and he went quickly to his work, removing her shirt, then his, and alternating between each article of clothing until they were both left unshielded by any form of cloth. She was just as beautiful as the girl he had dreamed about fucking… if not more so. Her breasts were large, but not so much so it made her look fake. D's as told by the tag on her bra which was now laying ten feet away on the floor. Her waist was small but curved outward to large hips. She taught him the definition of "hourglass figure," as she laid across the bar while he removed his pants. She went to work rubbing her young, pink pussy which had been recently shaved just as well as any other part of her body. The sight caused Daryl to tremble as he touched himself as well, watching her writhe in a fit of self created passion. After a moment, he grabbed her by her hair and pulled her to his mouth again, kissing her just as hard as the first time. She slid from the bar gracefully onto her knees and lead him into her mouth, taking every inch of him all at once. Daryl watched in between winces of pleasure and recalled later thinking that she looked beautiful. Yes, Sadie Lorne was the only female probably on this planet now who made sucking dick look "beautiful." The way her pink lips slid around every spot of his manhood. How her tongue traced down to his balls where she took them into her mouth as well… every second was a satisfying art created by a young girl who knew nothing about the man she was sharing herself with. He enjoyed this act for a long time but felt himself coming close, and pulled away, picking her back up and setting her on a bar stool in front of him. After spreading her legs, Daryl looked up at her, quickly kissing, sucking, and licking every inch of her sweet pussy. He could tell she'd not been used to this as she squirmed against him, holding in short gasps and high pitched squeaks as his mouth explored her. She tasted sweet… almost like a cherry sucker and Daryl was actually enjoying eating her out, unlike his past flings. She ran her fingers through his thick, greasy hair as he sucked on her clit, her hand pulling him closer to her body as if she couldn't get enough. After letting her enjoy herself, Daryl stood, positioning himself at her entrance, while she sat up slightly.

"I'm gonna make you scream, baby doll." He mumbled, a familiar smirk crossing his lips.

"You can try," Sadie said, biting her lip. "No one's ever succeeded." The suspense of having his huge cock inside her was too much, she wanted to pull him in that second, but Daryl pulled away slightly, rubbing the head across her wet clit.

"How bout we make a little wager, then." She let a small, wispy moan escape her lips in place of a question. "How bout if I can make you scream my name, I getta take you back with me, and make you scream my name evry night…"

"And if you can't," She struggled to ask, feeling her body tighten and more liquid escape her body.

"If I can't," He tilted his head back, nodding toward his pile of equipment behind them. "You can have my bow." Sadie grinned, extending her hand.

"Deal." She didn't know why, but she wanted his bow. She didn't even know how to fire it, but it seemed convenient enough. Daryl wasted no time and got to work trying to win his bet. He pushed inside her, lighting her body on fire as he pounded into her, penetrating inches untouched by her two former boyfriends. She cringed as pain turned to pleasure, and sunk her manicured nails into his muscular arms. So far, the odds weren't in favor of little Sadie.

"So fucking tight," Daryl growled, more to himself than Sadie as she pulled him closer, feeling the heat drip from his body. She buried her face into his neck, holding in moans and squeals as he increased his pace. Noticing her tactic, he grabbed her by her neck and pulled her away, looking into her silver eyes. "No no no, little missy. You gotta play fair." She released a low moan. It was quiet though, not enough to make him lose. She felt that she could hold in most of the yelps moving into her throat, but then, Daryl pulled out and turned her over, bending her ass over the barstool and penetrating her from a different angle. Sadie moaned louder this time, almost loud enough for Daryl to win and he could feel her young body tightening around him, signaling him she was about to cum. For a moment, he enjoyed the feeling, but he soon grabbed her by her hair and pulled her ear close to his mouth, muttering in an almost unintelligible growl, "Come on, baby… Say it." She tried to refuse, but the word "no" turned into another moan. "Say it. Say my name, darlin'"

His voice was enough to drive her over the edge. Coaxing her like a pup, he pushed in harder, causing Sadie to lose her control and the bet as his bitter name escaped her throat in a high pitched scream of "Oh, Daryl, fuck me." He let go of her hair, causing her to collapse on the barstool again, and her body to release juices that covered his dick. He continued, hearing her openly mouth his name to encourage his own peak, and he came inside of her, more by pure instinct than choice. No regret followed. No worry of "her old man will kill me if she gets knocked up," or Shot gun wedding bells ringing in his brain. Just the quiet satisfaction of great sex after a very long time.

He was never one for cuddling, but somehow, Sadie managed to coax him to the floor to lay with her. He noted that, above everything else; the perfect figure, sparkling eyes, the fact that she was his very definition of flawlessness, Sadie Lorne fit perfectly under his shoulder as they laid in the bar, unsure of what to say as the walkers clawed at the door outside. Daryl grinned and looked at her under his chin, breaking the silence by saying simply, "I told ya so, kid."


	2. Familiar Faces

Sadie felt her chest get heavy as they approached the prison on the back of Dixon's bike. "You're kidding me…" she whispered to herself, sure that Daryl couldn't hear over the roar of his motorcycle. The gates opened and shut quickly as they ascended the hill and Daryl parked his bike near the entrance way. They were greeted by unfamiliar faces.

"Who's this?" A taller man asked, his brown eyes, obviously tired. His brown hair graying from stress and premature aging.

Before Daryl could answer, a young man who had come in on the woodberry bus ran quickly to her, enveloping her in his arms shouting. "Oh my God, Sadie!" Daryl's eyes sparked and then narrowed. "I can't believe you're alive… I can't believe you're standing here…" The man cried still holding her.

"Believe me… I feel the same way." Sadie mumbled, looking at the ground with tears filling her eyes.

"Woodberry survivor?" Rick asked, trying to pry them apart with words.

"Woodberry?" Sadie asked, confused.

"Nah, found 'er in a bar." Daryl mumbled, kicking the dirt with the tip of his boot.

"I can't thank you enough," the young boy said, ecstatically. "Sadie was my girlfriend before… well, before all this… we got separated when she tried to find her sister one night… I always thought she was-"

"Just what we need," a young brunette interrupted, eying Sadie. "Another mouth to feed."

"Aye, who asked you, Maggie?" Daryl snapped, stepping in front of Sadie as if he was shielding her from Maggie's words.

"She's right," Glenn said, entering behind her. "We've already taken in so many people, we really shoul-"

"What do you want him to do, leave her out there alone?" Rick interrupted. "There's plenty of room here. Daryl, show her to an empty cell."

"She can stay in my cell!" The young boy interrupted.

"Travis… th-… That's okay. I think I need some space to sort this all out… okay?" Sadie mumbled, distancing herself.

"Oh… space… I mean… Sure." Travis' blue eyes traveled to the gravel, saddened by rejection.

Sadie followed Daryl into the prison. The walk to her cell was awkward and silent until Dixon stopped at the door and mumbled, "boyfriend, huh?"

Before she could explain, Daryl was walking away, shaking his head. He couldn't expect her to have known Travis would be at the prison. She sat on her bed, thinking until the voice in her head was interrupted by her boyfriend tapping on the cell. "Can we talk…"

"I'm so happy to see you," he said, walking down the stairs of block D, her hand gripped tightly in his. "I thought you were… gone…"

"I'm fine," Sadie moused.

"Things won't be like before, Sadie… I won't lose you."

"I know." Her voice was quiet and shaky as if she were talking to a complete stranger.

"Are you going to say more than two words to me?" Travis inquired, turning on the stairs and looking into her eyes. "Where did you go? What happened to you? Where's Madiso-" Sadie's eyes lowered as her sister's name stabbed her in the heart like a dagger.

"She uh…" She cleared her throat, holding back tears. "She… shot herself. She got bitten so she took my gun and…" Her voice faded, remembering the site of her glock in Madison's mouth.

"I'm so sorry!" Travis said, smothering her in his arms again.

"It's fine… I'm… I'm fine." Sadie, pulled away a little, only to be held tighter.

"I'll never let you go," Travis said, kissing her cheek. His arms released her as Rick came down the stairs.

"Dinner is ready."

"Thank you. C'mon Sadie, I bet you're starved."

It was like being in high school in the prison cafeteria. Most people had a small group they sat in, like little clicks throughout the room. The groups scattered across the room and Sadie found herself sitting in one with Travis and Rick nearby. Rick smiled at her and said, "So Sadie… Daryl tells me you're pretty handy with knives and guns."

"I'm alright, I guess." Sadie said, blushing. She was flattered that although Travis had her locked down, Daryl still talked about her. Comforted she shoved a fork full of food in her mouth.

"How would he know?" Travis said, his eyes shooting over to Sadie. She chewed slowly, not wanting to answer.

Rick broke the tension. "Since you're a pretty good shot, you wouldn't mind learning how to man the watch tower would you? We work in shifts so you won't always be out there, but we always need extra hands."

"Anything to pull my weight, sir." Sadie said, after swallowing.

"Awesome. Daryl's running left tower tonight so I'm sure he wouldn't mind teaching you."

Daryl nodded in Rick's direction as he sat what seemed like miles away. "I could teach her to run watch." Travis said, shifting in his seat.

"It'll be easier if Daryl shows her the ropes. He's been on it longer and he practically created the system." Travis lowered his head and ate in silence for the rest of the meal.

As night fell over the prison, Travis begged Sadie not to walk to the watch tower with Daryl.

"Just don't go. They can't say anything."

"I can't just not help out around here. I'd be dead in no time if Daryl hadn't found me… I was already starting to lose it without any kind of socialization."

"You have me now, you don't need anyone else. If you leave, I leave."

"I don't want to leave… I feel safe here." Sadie said, gathering her gun and night clothes. "Go to sleep, Travis. I'll be back in the morning." She left Travis standing in the hall of cell block D as she sprinted to the tower like she was late for her first day of work. She met Daryl in the tower as he was sharpening his arrows while seated in his lawn chair. He said nothing but looked up at her as she sat in the empty chair beside him. The atmosphere was drenched in chaotic silence.

"Dary-"

"Way this works is, you look left, I look right. You see a walker, you kill it. You see two, you kill 'em. More 'n five is a hoard. You tell me an' I'll handle it from there. Got it?"

"Yeah…" She wasn't a fan of the formalities. She liked it better when he was making bets with her in the bar. He didn't say anything for what seemed like an eternity after that. He just sat there, miles away, sharpening his arrows.

"Daryl…" He looked up. That was a start.

"Daryl… I don't think you get the whole 'boyfriend' thing."

"What's 'ere to get? You got reunited with the love 'a your life and I lost a lil sex doll… ain't nothin' to get." Daryl mumbled.

Meanwhile Merle's voice echoed in his head, _Atta boy. She don't mean a thing._

"That's not it at all…" Sadie mumbled, secretly wishing he could look into her past and see her for who she was. "I'm not some kid who just bounces from one boy to the next…"

"No? What was that in the bar then? I told ya when we started it was just a fling… just filling an animalistic need… not anything formal."

"Then why did you bring me here?"

He was quiet momentarily as the sharpening of his arrows seized. "I didn't want you hurt or nothin'… you're still a person."

"I'm not the person you think I am though…" She looked up and noticed a walker stumbling into the prison fence through a whole created by some unknown force. She shot it in the face after standing and mumbled, "We should fix that tomorrow."

Daryl was quiet again, listening to Merle ramble on in his head.

_Don't let some little bitch burrow under your skin, brother. _

Sadie retreated back to her seat, staring holes into her night clothes for what seemed like hours before getting the courage to stand and put them on. "What are y-" Daryl's voice caught in his throat as her shirt hit the floor and she unclasped her bra, facing away from him.

"If I'm gonna be up here all night, may as well get comfortable," Sadie said, still facing the wall. Daryl's mind flashed back to her writhing underneath him in the bar, and suddenly, Merle's voice changed its point of view too.

_Damn… she sure is foxy… ain't even gotta have booze to stare at this one._

Sadie slid on a black tanktop and some short boxer shorts before sitting back into her chair, the only underwear remaining was her lace thong, that Daryl was sure still smelt like his cum if he could get close enough to her. Daryl stared at her body longer than he should have. Noticing that with each rise and fall of her chest, her nipples poked through the spaghetti strapped tank she was wearing. Sadie's eyes matched his, and suddenly, she felt offended. "I have a boyfriend… remember?"

Daryl caught himself, and looked back at his arrows, angry that his jealousy had ruined the benefits he shared with her. She obviously still wanted him… but not when he was acting like a prick. After thinking for a few more moments, he looked back at her, interrupting her gaze into the night air. "What's that Travis kid got, that I ain't?" He grumbled.

Sadie, seeing an opportunity to explain, looked gingerly at the floor and mumbled, "Absolutely nothing…"

"Then what the fuck's going on, Sadie? One minute you're all over me and the next there's some guy…"

"How did you expect me to know he was alive? I didn't… I thought he died with the rest of my little group… It's not my fault he's here… I didn't know… And trust me, if I could pick you over him, I'd do it in a heartbeat."

"Why can't you…"

Her voice stumbled and she looked at the floor again, away from his eyes. "We… Were just a fling remember… I don't mean anything." They were both silent again and hours passed that way. Daryl sharpened one of his arrows so much it almost had no use anymore. Time passed slowly until Sadie mumbled, "It's chilly out."

Daryl said nothing but sat up and took off his poncho just before handing it to her. She draped it around her shoulders and it covered a good portion of her legs being that she was much smaller than he was. She moused a small thanks as the smell of sweat and must surrounded her. It was gross, it was overwhelming… but it was Daryl's.

Light hit the watchtower like an oncoming train as Sadie opened her eyes. She looked where Daryl had been seated, but he was no longer there. The only proof of their conversation was his poncho, still wrapped around her shoulders. She rubbed her eyes trying to comprehend how she'd fallen asleep in the first place then found a note folded carelessly in her lap. She opened it and read the messy blue ink inside.

"_Rule one: Don't fall asleep." _She couldn't help but chuckle briefly but was interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming toward the tower. She looked, hoping to find Dixon, returning for his poncho, but in his place found a tall blonde boy with angry, blue eyes. It was Travis.

"Good morn-"

"Shut the fuck up!" Travis raged, coming toward her. "What the fuck is going on Sadie!?"

"I… I don-"

"What the hell is this!? You're wearing his God damn clothes!?"

"No, I… I just got a little cold and he ha-"

"Maybe if you weren't dressed like a fucking slut!"

"Travis, I-" He rushed toward her and flipped her from her chair, causing her to hit her head on the wooden wall of the tower. Before she had the chance to hold the affected area, he grabbed her up by her neck and held her against the wall.

"Repeat after me. I will not…"

"Travi-" He slammed her head against the splintered wood, causing blood to drip down her forehead. She felt helpless.

"Say it. I will not…"

"I will n-… not…"

"Go anywhere near Dixon…"

"Trav-" He punched her, causing her to bite her lip. Then dropped her on the floor and wiped the sweat from his brow with his forearm. He crouched beside her limp body.

"You won't go near him again, will you, baby… cause next time, I'll kill ya." He kissed her forehead which was now drenched in blood, then left her lying in the floor as the walkers hissed around the gate of the prison.


	3. Mind Over Matter

Sadie gathered herself enough to walk downstairs to find some place to wash her blood from Daryl's poncho. She avoided everyone as she walked into the kitchen and found a bottle of water that had been sipped on but never finished. She ran the water over the cloth, watching as the red ran from the fabric and down the kitchen sink. "Please please please…" She whispered, silently praying that she hadn't stained the precious cloth in front of her. After a few moments, she realized the most of the blood that came out and she washed her face with the remaining water.

"Shit." She mumbled, noticing her lip had swollen from the hit she had taken. She kept her fingers placed on it, wondering how to cover it up. She turned to go to her cell to find some concealer when she almost ran into Maggie.

"Hey… I just came to say sorry for that shit I said yesterday… it wasn't- Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Sadie pretended to be oblivious, "Oh, this? Yeah I just…" Her mind wandered, trying to stray away from the typical, "I fell" line that most abused women use. "It's nothing…" was all she could come up with. Maggie eyed her suspiciously, but decided it wasn't her place to ask, and walked further into the kitchen.

"If you need anything, let me know."

"Right." Sadie said, rushing away. She didn't want anyone to know what Travis had done. She didn't want anyone to think she couldn't hold her own.

As the day dragged on throughout the prison, Sadie sat in her cell, talking to the shadows on the wall for hours as they scolded her for being such a coward._ You should have stood up and killed that bastard… Why would you let this happen again?_

"Travis has always been there… always. I can't just get rid of him like that because Daryl is around."

_Can't you? Tell Daryl what he did… he'll take care of it._

"What makes you think Daryl's any better? You heard him… All I am is a sex doll… I don't mean anything to that man, other than a good time."

_Yeah, but wouldn't you rather be a doll than a punching bag…_

"I-… Look, Travis isn't going anywhere. I wish he wasn't here. I wish he was dead, but here we are, and I have to make the best of it."

_What if…_

"Don't even think about that right now… I'll… I'll cross that road when and IF I come to it." She buried her head in her hands and sighed deeply, almost wishing she could half listen to the voice in her head. "Make the best of what you have… or you won't have anything at all," she mumbled. It was never easy taking her own advice.

Meanwhile, in cell block C, Daryl laid in his own cell, his eyes just barely opening from the sun hitting his face, waking him up into another nightmare. He could hear shouting in the cafeteria, and stood to see what was going on. He broke into a sprint as he heard Rick trying to over power Travis.

"You can't let him do this to her, man!" Travis shouted, kicking as Rick dragged him away from the hall wear Daryl's cell was. "You're a cop! You know it's not right!" Daryl walked in, his bow in hand, but still keeping distance from the scene as he always did. "You… you rat bastard, I'll fucking kill you!" Travis tried to lunge at him, but Rick held him back, reminding him to stay calm.

"The hell's goin' on?" Daryl muttered, confused by his attacker.

"You know damn well what's going on!"

"Travis here says you beat up Sadie pretty bad last night…"

"What? I didn't touch 'er…" at this point he was completely confused.

"Right. I saw her face! I saw what you did, I'll fucking kill you!" Travis continued lunging toward him until Daryl got in his face.

"Who the hell said I done anything to 'er?"

"Well…" Travis stuttered, unprepared. "S-She did!"

Rick looked up at Daryl and muttered, "What happened last night, Daryl?" Travis slipped from his grip and violently indicated Daryl.

"Sadie said he beat her to a pulp when she refused to fuck around with him!"

"We was sittin' in the tower just fine. Taught 'er how to watch left… She fell 'sleep and I left 'er up there when my shift was done." Daryl said, unfazed by the accusations.

"I saw her face! I saw the blood all over her head, AND your goddamn poncho, you piece of shit," Travis said, rushing at Daryl. Rick took a step forward but didn't intervene.

"I gave 'er my poncho cause she got cold… I didn't touch that girl…" His voice was low, almost growling as Travis tried to threaten him. "Lemme tell you sumthin', boy, I ain't gotta force no woman to want me… specially not her." Daryl shoved him then walked toward the direction of block D, leaving Travis in total shock.

Sadie listened as the steps approached her cell and sat completely still, hoping it wasn't Travis. Instead, Daryl walked in, obviously aggravated. "Go away…" Sadie mumbled, her lip still swollen.

"Where the hell do you get off tellin' that bastard I beat the hell outta you?"

"I d-… what are you talking about?"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about. Travis' down there tellin' evry body an' their brother I beat the daylight outta you cause you wouldn't fuck me!"

"I never said that…"

"Then what the hell's goin' on Sadie… what the fuck happen' to you anyway?"

She was silent for a moment then stood and picked his poncho up from the desk across from her bed. She handed it to him, folded neatly and mumbled, "You wouldn't believe me… no one ever does." She laid back on the bed and covered herself up with the black blankets and said, after closing her eyes, "You should get outta here… Travis will be pissed if he sees me talking to you."

Just when he was about to object to his leaving, Rick walked down the stairs and told him to take a walk with him.

"I can't have you stay here if this is how it's gonna be, Daryl… we've had problems before bu-"

"You can't believe that kid over me… after all the shit I've done here… after all that's happened…"

"The evidence is there, Daryl… Maybe you were drunk or.. or you just made a mistake, I don't know but I can't have you causing problems between the other group members and I definitely don't want you causin' everyone to get scared."

"Nah…" Daryl was quiet for a moment then tossed his crossbow on his shoulders with his poncho. "Ya'll got enough to be scared of… You wanna trust that boy's word over mine 'n fine… I'll find some place to go 'n the mornin'."


	4. Out in the Open

Sadie did everything in silence for the rest of the day and avoided everyone else in the prison. When night came she felt a rumble in her stomach that was hard to ignore followed by cramping and nausea. She lay in her bed and prayed to God that it would go away. When it didn't, she stood and threw up in a bucket she'd been putting trash in by her desk. Her first instinct was to run to Daryl, but she decided against it and walked to Maggie's cell instead.

When she saw her inside, asleep next to Glenn, she tapped gingerly on the door. Luckily, Maggie had become a light sleeper and sat up to see what was going on. "Sadie?" She whispered, seeing the silhouette of the young girl in the moonlight. "It's gotta be two in the morning, what are you doing?"

"I need a favor…"

In his own cell, Daryl laid staring at the ceiling.

_See little brother… this is what happens. You get close to people and they ruin everythin' you've got. _His brother's voice echoed in his head. He tried to shake it away, but Merle only spoke louder. _You really think that girl ever gave a damn about you? She was just lookin' for a quick fix… somethin' ta make 'er feel good._

"Yeah, well, so was I…"

The voice was quiet, and Daryl rolled onto his side, thinking, "Still though… why didn't she tell them I didn't do that shit… what happened to her? I thought she was some stone cold killer when I met 'er and now she's lettin' some boy run all over 'er…"

_That boy's most of yer problem._

"That's the damn truth."

"Pregnancy Test!?" Maggie said, her voice echoing off the chambers in the prison.

"Shh!"

Her voice lowered to a whisper. "What in the hell you need a pregnancy test for… you been here for two days!"

"Yeah, but… look, I don't wanna go through all the details right now. Can you help me or not?"

"I don't have a choice do I?" Maggie mumbled, putting her hand on Sadie's shoulder. "C'mon. We'll go check in the cabinets… see if maybe we have one by chance… left over from Laurie or somethin'." They walked into the storage cell and sorted through the items until Maggie found in the very bottom of the box a crumbled up package storing a test to tell Sadie whether or not she was going to have a problem.

"Thanks, Maggie…" Sadie said, mumbling quietly. "I guess… I guess I'll have to wait a while before I take it but… thanks…"

Morning fell over the prison like a heavy sheet, and Sadie woke up to the roar of Daryl's motorcycle engine. "No." She whispered and ran to the gates to find Daryl saying goodbye to a short haired woman who was crying into her hands. She started to run to him when Travis stopped her.

"Don't worry, Sadie… You don't have to be afraid anymore." Travis yelled, making sure everyone could hear him over the bike's purr.

"Let me go!" She screamed, still trying to run to Daryl. "Rick! He didn't do it! He didn't touch me… don't let him go!" She fell into the gravel as Daryl sped off, leaving the prison in a silent shroud. The only noise heard was the hiss of the walkers and Sadie sobbing. "He didn't touch me… Make him come home." Home… the word was hard to say but the only place that was home was where Daryl was.

Rick walked to her and stared Travis in the eye. "Let 'er go. Sadie, what happened that night?" Travis let go of her arms as she sat in the gravel like a child but gave her an obviously stern stare to make sure she didn't rat him out.

"It wasn't Daryl… I… I fell when I was running up to the tower,"

_God, you sound generic._

"I hit my head and bit my lip,"

"Then why did Travis say you told hi-"

"I don't know!" She cried, "Maybe he was angry or didn't understand I don't know… he's been so protective maybe he assumed, but I never said Daryl hurt me."

"Someone go after him," Rick instructed, glaring at Travis. "And you… you come with me." He grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the prison. "Who do you think you are spitting out lies and breaking apart the group? We've done nothing but help you and now you bring this… Daryl was one of the strongest people here and I trusted you even though I had my doubts… Now we've lost one of the strongest links we had. He can't be replaced by some snot nosed kid like you!" Rick growled. "When Daryl gets back, you stay the hell away from him and everyone else at this Goddamn prison, do you understand me… and so help me God if I find out anything else about you I will shove this pistol down your throat and I will not hesitate."

Travis was still, in shock by Rick's rage.

Carol sat holding Sadie in her arms, rocking her like she would have Sophia if she were still around. "He's a tough cookie… they'll find him… he'll be alright."

"I don't want him to be hurt." Sadie cried, "I don't want him to feel alone because of me." Carol sighed and pulled her away, looking into her eyes, and petting the hair away from her tear stained face.

"What happened to you Sadie…"

"What do you mean?" She asked quietly.

"I'm not dumb… Travis did this… didn't he?"

"No… No I fell. He just thoug-"

"Oldest line in the script… 'I fell'… I remember when I used that to protect Ed too."

"Ed?"

"My husband… he was around before this whole mess… Got torn to pieces by the walkers…"

"oh…"

"He use to beat the living hell out of me every time I blinked wrong," Carol recollected, "I use to think, well he loves me too much… or he's always been around… I can't let him go now…Make the best of what you have or you won't have anything at all…" Sadie's eyes lit up as if she were hearing her own voice echo back at her, "but I realized that's just not true… You are the only person in this world that can control your happiness… no one else. Don't let any amount of beating or any type of abuse tell you otherwise."

Sadie looked down, crying again. Mouthing quiet "thank you's" to Carol as he enveloped her in her arms again. "Truth is… Daryl needs you… Everyone thought for the longest time he and I were getting together behind everyone's backs but the truth of it all is, I was just taking care of him… and he was takin' care of me… He needs a pretty little thing like you to keep him young… He's done a lot of growin' up… but he needs to learn to love again."

"I just… want him to come back," Sadie said, tears still streaming down her face.

"I'm sure he won't stay gone long… Glenn and Tyreese will have him back in no time… even if they have to drag him."

Never had Carol been so wrong.


	5. One Way or Another

Glenn and Tyreese returned that night with no sight of Daryl following suit. Sadie was the first to know because she'd been sitting outside on the picnic tables waiting to hear his motorcycle tear into the gravel.

She didn't care if he'd hate her.

She didn't care if he never talked to her again.

She just wanted him home.

Still though, the hope that Daryl would come and pick her up in his big, strong arms and whisk her away to some fairy tale cell lingered in her mind as she watched Glenn and Tyreese drive into the gate with no one in tow. Her vision shattered when she realized Daryl wasn't home.

"Did you talk to him?" She asked, holding her hands clutched together in front of her face. "Is he okay?"

"We couldn't fi-"

"He's fine," Tyreese interrupted, "Just isn't up for coming home right now…" Glenn eyed Tyreese, as he looked down at Sadie. Her heart sank.

"I'm not a kid, you know… I may be younger than all of you, but you don't have to lie to me."

"We couldn't find him," Glenn finished his previous sentence with a heavy heart. Guilt laid heavy on his shoulders.

She was silent for a moment, only to look back up and mumble a disheartened, "Thanks anyway," to the two men as she shuffled back inside.

"We'll keep lookin', Sadie."

Weeks passed that way.

Every day a new search party would leave to look for Daryl among the living and dead, and every day, they would come up empty handed. He left no traces of himself anywhere, except for with Sadie who found out she was, in fact, pregnant two and a half weeks after he left her in the prison. She never told anyone though. Not because she was afraid of the rumors or rejection, and not because she didn't want to keep the kid (even though she'd struggled with the decision since adoption was cut out of the three options,) but because she wanted Daryl to know first.

Time passed slowly when he wasn't there. She spent most of her time sitting on the tables waiting to hear the roar of an engine to put an end to the thought of, _He might be back this time._

Travis stayed away from her for the most part. There were few times he would try to come and "apologize" to Sadie for the things that had happened, but she never recognized his existence. He was the reason Daryl left in the first place. He was like the devil to Sadie being that it was easier to pretend he wasn't there than to recognize him as a reality.

One night, as her undeveloped child rolled in her stomach, she thought to herself.

_Go out and look for him yourself. _

"I have no idea where he's gone. I don't even have the slightest clue… and if I did, how would I get there? I was never taught to drive."

_Nineteen, and you don't know how to operate a car… and you think you can raise a kid?_

"That's if I even decide to keep it… without Daryl here, I'm not sure I can do this… and if I were him, I wouldn't want my kid to be from some random girl I met in a bar…"

_Honestly, he probably won't even believe it's yours… Travis is still here, you know?_

"I'd hope he knows me better than that…"

_Hope all you want, remember the reason he left in the first place…_

She was quiet as she put a hand on her stomach.

"Where did your daddy go, kiddo…" She mumbled, tears filling her eyes. This wasn't your typical case of a girl trying to find her baby daddy.

When dawn came, Sadie ran out and found Daryl's old pickup truck sitting in the driveway, untouched since he'd disappeared. She found the keys sitting idly in the start and tossed the idea in her head for a moment, before shoving her equipment, two guns, ammo for both, and three survival knives she'd taken from Michonne, in the seat beside her and cranking the engine. It loudly coughed a cloud of smoke twice, then growled as it started. She tried to back out quickly before anyone came to her aid, but stopped when she hit the prison wall with the tail end. "Fuck…" she got out and checked it. "Bent all to hell… I guess he'll have to deal with it."

At the gate, Carl waited as the truck slowly trekked down the hill, its breaks squealing just before it, and Sadie leaned out. "Promise you won't rat me out?"

"Swear," Carl yawned, opening the gate.

"Thanks so much, Carl." Her voice was quiet as she pulled out of the gate and listened to it shut behind her. The truck purred down the hill and onto the road and Sadie noticed it was significantly easier to drive on asphalt as opposed to gravel. She swerved a little, getting used to the mechanics of turning and breaking beforehand but eventually found herself outside the bar where she had taken Daryl.  
The town was filled with nothing but ghosts as she hopped from the truck and looked in the window. _This is the only place I know to look…_ She thought, as she tried to see through the stained glass. It was hard not to call to him to see if he'd answer but she knew if she did, she may attract unwanted attention from the undead that were probably hiding inside various buildings along the strip. She tapped on the glass, but jumped back as a walker lunged against it from inside. _No way he's in there… he would have killed them all by now…_ She sighed and bit her lip, wondering where to try next.

Meanwhile, back in the prison, Daryl's motorcycle sped up the drive way as Rick watched him from the window. Everyone rushed outside to open the gate and Daryl climbed off his bike. "Left a few things here I thought I'd come n' get,"

"We've been looking everywhere for you!" Glenn said, shocked that he was standing in front of him.

"I went back to my neck of tha woods," Daryl mumbled. He looked around, not seeing Travis or Sadie anywhere in the group. "Where's tha girl and her lyin' ass mutt?"

"Travis is inside," Rick spoke, "Sadie is…" He looked around, "Sadie?"

"She's usually out here by now, waitin' on you to show up." Tyreese said looking around as well.

Mumbles filled the air as everyone looked around for the young girl who had caused such a ruckus among all of them. Carl tried to back away, but Carol turned to him. "Where is she Carl…" She whispered, trying not to alert everyone else.

"She… She made me promise not to tell." Everyone got quiet and listened to what the young boy had to say.

"If you know where she is, you have to let us know so we can go get her… she doesn't need to be out there alone,"

"Hey… Where the hell's my truck!?" Daryl said, looking around the gravel.

"S-Sadie took it," Carl said, sounding frantic, "She said she had to go into town and check to see if you were one last place before she gave up,"

"Well, what time did she leave?" Rick mumbled.

"Had to have been about two hours ago,"

"She's still out there, then. I gotta go get 'er."

"Not by yourself, no way," Carol said, grabbing his bicep.

"She's got my truck,"

"I'll go with you," Travis grumbled, emerging from the prison like a wolf from his cave. Daryl snorted at his offer, then advanced toward him.

"What n the name of God makes you think I want you in my company?"

"I care about her just as much, if not more, than you do,"

"Yeah, if that wasn't tha case, I wouldn'ta been out on my ass right after she got here."

"I'll go with you, Daryl," Glenn said, trying to crack the tension. "My car makes a lot less noise than your bike… It'll be easier."

"Alrigh'" Daryl said, spitting in the dirt then wiping his mouth with his forearm. "Les go."

Daryl took the wheel in Glenn's cherry red mustang he'd found on an expedition and headed off, shouting out the window that they'd be back as the gate opened. "If it ain't one thing with tha girl, it's another," he growled, heading toward the bar on the east end of town.


	6. Real Good Man

_ Sadie_ knew after searching the shopping strip windows, she wasn't going to find Daryl. She hopped back into the truck cab and sat still, then rolled up the windows and turned on the truck. She tried tuning the radio, but when she picked up no signal, she switched it to the cd player, which took what seemed like eons to read the disc inside it. Once it did, a country song filled the cab, singing,

_Girl, you've never known no one like me  
Up there in your high society.  
They might tell you I'm no good,  
Girl, they need to understand  
Just who I am…  
I may be a real bad boy,  
But baby I'm a real good man._

She smirked at how much the song reminded her of Daryl and the fact he was listening to it before this whole mess. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the window behind her, drifting back to a time when, if you said someone was a monster, it didn't mean they were dead and walking around the earth hunting for flesh and hissing like a deranged animal. She imagined herself riding to the county fair, her hand on Daryl's knee as he pulled his rickety truck into the grass to park. She imagined running to the gates, dragging Daryl along, and stopping only for a second for him to give the lady the money to get their hands stamped. In her mind, they rode every ride, saw every three legged horse and two headed creature there was to see, and they rode home, her head in Daryl's lap and her arm around a teddy bear he'd won just moments before by tossing a few milk cans over with a dirty baseball.

She was awoken from her fantasy by a red haired walker slamming her open palm on the window, hissing. She must have heard the song mumbling through the window and brought her friends around for a mid day snack.

_If you're gonna run with me  
It's gonna be a wild ride  
When it comes to loving you  
I've got velvet hands  
I'll show you how a real bad boy  
Can be a real good man_

It seemed like they didn't stop pouring from the streets as they enveloped the truck, a few even climbing in the back and trying to slam their hangs through the roof. She rolled down the window slightly and stuck her knife in the red head's face. She fell to the ground with a thud while the others continued clawing at the truck. She started the truck and pulled forward, smashing a few under the tires, then backed up, knocking four from the truck bed and onto the ground where they dragged themselves forward. She made sure there were none close to the truck as she climbed onto the top of the cab with her guns in hand. She got comfortable before shooting the four behind her in the head, and the others that followed.

She sat on the roof of the truck, praying a guardian angel would come and at least make the walkers disappear. Just when her prayer had ended and her last bullet went through one of the walker's skulls, the wings of her angel appeared on the back of a leather vest, as he climbed from the car he'd appeared in. He shot immediately, killing three of the walkers around her, while Glenn killed the others. After the threat was eliminated, Daryl walked around to the back of his truck, and kicked the tire.

"God damnit!" he yelled, noticing the huge dent Sadie had put in the tail gate. "You fucked up my truck!"

"I was looking for you, asshole!" Sadie growled, still seated comfortably on the truck roof.

"Don't mean you hadda fuck up my truck in the process!"

"Don't mess with a man's truck…" Glenn mumbled, immediately sorry for butting in when Sadie and Daryl both looked at him and thundered,

"Hey, who asked you!?"

Sadie looked into her lap and smiled coyly, giggling a bit as Daryl turned back to her. "C'mon, get offa my cab before ya dent that too," he said, holding his arms out and motioning his fingers for her to slide into them. He was almost sorry to see her climb down after getting a good look at her sitting up there, her long legs folded carefully in her shorts. He set her on the ground, then opened the cab of the truck, looking at Glenn as she slid into the passenger seat, "We'll follow ya."

"Can't I drive?" Sadie said as she rode alongside Daryl, her arm rested on the open window. He scoffed.

"Didn't ya see tha back of my ride?"

"It wasn't that bad… I gotta learn sometime,"

"Not now you don't… not from me," Daryl mumbled, biting a hangnail on his dirt covered finger. "Sides, I'm leavin again once I get you back. Jus came to get my truck and a few other odds and ends."

Sadie's eyes widened and she shook her head, "Daryl, no… I need you here. I need you with me,"

"For what?" He looked at her as the truck rolled forward, "You're too young to know anythin' about needin' someone." He stopped, and opened the door, the truck still running. "Scoot on over here if'n you wanna learn to drive." He climbed in the passenger seat and grinned at how small she looked behind the wheel of his cab. She didn't move. "Well…? Go on now."

"Uh…okay." She started to move reluctantly.

"You're out here goin' two miles per hour. Give it some juice, girl," Daryl said, watching the road intently. She pressed the gas then stopped after the truck lunged forward. He chuckled. At that moment, Sadie was no longer some sexy, bad bitch that could flick Daryl on like a switch. She was a wide eyed little girl, terrified of the beast she was trying to control. The truck swerved a little as she gripped the wheel and Daryl scooted over toward her. "Loosin' up your grip, doll," he mumbled, placing his hands on hers, "if you keep still and only guide 'er when she goes off course, you won't do as much swayin'"

"O-okay…"

When they reached the prison, Sadie climbed from the truck seat and stood behind Daryl just like when they'd first arrived there, the difference was, Travis didn't rush to her. He stood in the distance, watching in a personal hell as Sadie held tightly onto Daryl's arm, begging him not to leave.

"Nobody wants you to leave, Daryl," Carol said, holding her arms in front of her.

"We made a mistake," Rick reminded.

Daryl was quiet, concealing a smirk behind his stone cold expression as he headed inside to his cell, "Ain't gotta tell me twice,"

Once inside, Sadie followed Daryl to his cell and mumbled that she needed to talk to him.

"You always got something to say to me, don't ya?" Daryl said, looking down at her, "How bout you answer my questions first."

"Sure."

"Why didn't you tell Rick and all them I didn't beat you up before they wanted to ship me off?"

"He was… he would have killed me if I told…"

"He…? Don't tell me that Travis kid is the one that left those bruises and cuts all over you…" she lowered her head and Daryl tried to rush past her and out the door to find Travis, but Sadie pulled the cell closed before he could. "So, what, you're gonna lock me up in here and protect that asshole again?"

"I'm not protecting him… I'm protecting you, Daryl…"

"That little bastard ain't gonna hurt me, now let me outta here," Daryl growled, trying to move around her again, but she stepped in front of him.

"I know that… but I also know if you do what you plan to, you'll get yourself kicked out again. I can't let you leave."

"You keep saying you need me… that I can't leave. I know for a fact, you'd make it just fine on your own, little lady… you can protect yourself just fine. You ain't a baby."

"No… I'm not a baby…" She mumbled, reaching for his hand then placing it gently on her stomach, "but…"


	7. Sweet Escape

Daryl stumbled back, wide eyed, and sat on the bed, holding his head, suddenly remembering his instinctive act in the bar. "When'd you find out?" He mumbled as the room spun around him.

"While you were gone…" Her voice trailed off, noticing he wasn't as happy as she thought he'd be. She couldn't tell what he was. "I know it's kind of hard to take in with everything tha-"

"You sure it's mine?" He glared, more through her than at her.

The voice in her mind barked, _I told you so!_

"Y-Yeah, I haven't done anything with Travis since before I met you… well, before this whole thing actually…" She sat next to him on the bed and intertwined her small fingers in his large, calloused hand. "I'm so sorry," She mumbled, more to the floor than Dixon.

"Sorry… whatchu got to be sorry for?"

"I'm sorry you have to deal with this,"

"I ain't 'dealin'' with nothin',"

"Oh…" She got quiet and thought to herself, knowing that if Daryl wasn't there to help her, she'd never be able to raise the kid on her own. "I guess I'll take care of it mysel-" Daryl grabbed her hand as she tried to leave and pulled her back to him while standing himself.

"I didn't mean I wasn't gonna take care of it…" He said, placing his hand on her jaw just as he'd done in the bar. "It won't be all bad… shit, maybe I actually done somethin' right for a change." His blue eyes pierced into hers, causing her to look to the floor and blush, only to have her chin tilted back toward him with his index finger. "Who'da thought it'd take the end of the world to make me settle down." She giggled, wrapping her arms around him and laying her head on his chest as he held her close and stroked her hair with his rough hand. "Who you told?"

"No one… I was waiting on you to get back… I wanted you to know first."

"Well, I don't think that Travis boy is gonna be too happy." Sadie cringed thinking of what Travis would do when he heard the news. "I'll handle that too, little lady." He got to his knees and pulled her stomach close to him, placing his ear on her abdomen. "You think it's a boy er girl?"

"I don't know, Daryl…" Sadie said, smiling at his childlike wonder. "I won't know until it gets here." Daryl stood and started to leave the cell, when Sadie followed him like a lost pup. "Where are you going?"

"I gotta go check my truck an' make sure you ain't completely tore it up," He said, scratching his sunburnt neck, "You can come too if ya want." She walked next to him, matching his pace as he headed back outside.

The sunlight poured onto her face as she sat on Daryl's bent tailgate, her legs swaying from it like when she was in the bar with him. This time though, he was laid in gravel, peering under his truck to make sure she hadn't bent, cracked, or broken anything other than the gate when she ran into the prison wall. "Daryl…"

"Yeah," he muttered in a muffled voice, annoyed that he couldn't see much with the light available.

"How old are you?"

He dragged himself from under the truck and sat up on his left arm, covered in sweat and grease. "That's a random ass question if I ever heard one…"

"Well, I thought I'd ask seeing as how I'm having your kid…"

He grinned, and scooted back under the truck, "Let's just say, a lot older 'n you."

"No way," She hung over the tailgate and looked at him under the truck from upside down, "You gotta be like… twenty… three…"

He laughed.

"Twenty six?"

"Try again,"

"Twenty…. Nine?"

"Nope."

"Thirty!?"

"Ain't you got somethin' ta do other than bug me, girl?" Daryl snorted, blindly reaching for a wrench that was just out of his reach. She hopped from the back of the truck and grabbed the tool for him and placed it in his hands

"Well… no… I've been spending all my time waiting for you to get home… and now you're home so…"

"Is yer cell clean…" He grunted as he tightened something unseen under the cab.

"Yes… Geez, you're such a dad already…"

"Tha baby been fed?"

"Judith?... Yeah, Rick has her taking a nap."

"You been fed?"

"Yes!"

"Hmm…"

"Don't think of anything else cause chances are it's been done," Sadie said, pushing playfully at his leg.

"Why don't you go lay down, missy? Ain't pregnant chicks sposed to lay down and sleep a lot?"

"I'm not THAT pregnant!" Sadie grumbled.

Daryl pulled himself out from under the truck again and grinned. "That's a new one. I've heard, 'I ain't THAT sick,' or 'I ain't THAT tired,' but I ain't never heard, 'I ain't THAT pregnant,'" She giggled a little, still sitting in the gravel beside his truck. "Tell you what… you go on and rest for a bit, and later I'll take ya for a swim in the lake… Maybe win my bet again since you ain't THAT pregnant." He smirked at her and pulled her in for a kiss when he saw Travis approaching. "What." His voice was threatening.

"Rick told me to come tell Sadie that dinner is ready," he mumbled, kicking the rocks below his feet.

"I've already eaten," Sadie mumbled, feeling the cuts on the back of her head sting although they had long since healed.

"What was that?" Travis said, his voice stronger as if he'd forgotten for a second that Daryl was there.

"She said, she already ate," Daryl said, standing up, "How bout you go stick yer nose in someone else's business before you find yerself out with the walkers."

Travis silently retreated, leaving Sadie and Daryl in the summer sun. Sadie looked toward the gravel, remembering how badly she felt when Travis ordered her around and treated her badly, and how happy she was that Daryl would stand up for her.

The day faded into a sherbet sunset as Sadie and Daryl headed to the creek on his motorcycle. Once there, they checked for walkers and Sadie stripped down to her panties; black lace that was almost see through and a matching bra. Daryl marveled at her for a moment, after splashing the sweat from his face with cold creek water. "Hang on a sec… do me a favor."

"Hmm?"

"Go over there and get my bow 'n hold it on your shoulder," Daryl smirked. Sadie walked over, confused by his request and sat the bow on her shoulder, obviously lacking experience. He stood and walked to her, standing behind her as he helped her hold it correctly, while rubbing against her. "Just like that… now, lemme get a look at ya."

He backed up as if he were marveling a painting. At that moment, Sadie was hotter than any center fold he'd ever seen, and the more he let his eyes wander, the harder it was to contain himself in his jeans. He grinned, told her she could put it down, and went to work taking his own clothes off. Before he could rid himself of his denim prison, he found himself being pounced to the ground by the mother of his unborn child. His back hit the ground with a thud, but a laugh thundered against her as she giggled into his neck. He found his hands on her ass as she hovered above him, still kissing his neck. "You sure you're up for this?"

"I think I'll manage," she smiled, scooting down so she could undo his pants. After taking them off, Daryl wrapped his arms around her again, holding her head close to him as he kissed her. "What's the bet this time?" Sadie half moaned as she broke free from the kiss.

"hmm," He thought heavily for a moment, then scooped her into his hands while she straddled his waist.

"I got one," she shimmied away from him then jumped into the icy water, causing her tan skin to glisten in the sunset. "I bet you can't keep your hands to yourself for five minutes while I…" she moved to him again and took him into her mouth. His immediate instinct was to grab her hair and shove himself down her throat but he resisted.

"Five minutes?" He grunted, "What do I get if'n I do?"

"Hmmm… you can have… this…" she pulled a locket from around her neck and showed it to him, inside was a picture of Sadie as an adolescent child, looking at the world with huge, silver, hope filled eyes. Suddenly, the mood was somber as she stared at the picture next to hers; a small blonde toddler with sparkling blue eyes. "That was my kid sister…" she mumbled, smiling a bit. "This was my momma's before she got sick."

"Sick?"

"Cancer…"

"Oh." Daryl remembered losing his mother too, and suddenly, they found themselves sitting mostly naked, remembering times before the apocalypse. Sadie snapped back first, and smiled up at him.

"Didn't mean to ruin the mood," She grinned, taking him into her mouth again.

Her silver eyes flickered as Daryl held his hands behind him, trying to resist pulling her closer as her tongue flickered across his length. "How long's it been?" He grunted, looking down at her beautiful mouth.

"Not even close to five," she grinned back. She braced herself has Daryl's hands pulled around and he grabbed her hair, pushing himself further down her throat and eventually fucking her mouth. He pulled out and pulled her into his lap in the water, moving her panties to the side so he could ready himself to push back inside her sweet pussy.

"This ain't gonna hurt the baby, is it?"

"No," Sadie said, kissing his forhead, "The baby will be just fine." That was all he needed to know. He thrusted inside her, still amazed by how tightly her walls gripped onto him as he increased speed, grunting and releasing small gasps of air as his felt her move against him.

"Oh Daryl," Sadie moaned into his neck, trying to make sure she didn't alert any undead stalkers.

"That's what I like to hear, baby. Say it again… Say it." He thrusted harder, causing her to squeak which made him chuckle. If he didn't remember anything else about Sadie, he'd remember the squeaks she'd make when he hit just the right spot inside her.

In no time, Sadie's cum was covering his dick in the water and he was releasing himself, feeling as if he were going to snap her like a twig as he reached his peak and held her tightly. She smiled, kissing his head. "I'm glad you can't keep your hands off me," She handed him the locket and folded his hand over it, "keep It safe for me?"

"Might as well," Daryl said, grinning, "I gotta keep you safe, too."

He held her tightly, feeling the current wash over them as the sun almost disappeared behind the trees, but in the distance, the sound of leaves crunching signaled an unexpected visitor.


	8. Mistakes

Sadie twisted her head toward the noise as she sat still in Daryl's arms. "Did you hear that?" She whispered, still facing the opaque woods around them. Daryl sat looking in the same direction like a wolf on the hunt for some rabbit in the brush.

"Yeah," He slowly let her go and walked from the water, sliding his pants on quickly and grabbing his bow. He hated the feeling of dry cloth on wet skin, but was paying less attention to that as he kept his eyes on the woods in front of him. Sadie stood, still unclothed, poorly covering her breast with her arms crossed in front of her, her lace panties still soaked in murky water.

"Maybe it was just a squirrel or something?"

"A noise that loud? That wasn't no squirrel… 'sides, it ain't never just a squirrel anymore," Daryl said, pointing his bow into the woods. They were both silent for a while as the moments passed. He didn't move from his stance, waiting for some dead or soon to be dead person to stumble from the trees into their privacy. After assuring herself it was safe to do so, Sadie pulled herself from the water, setting her hand on Daryl's arm, attempting to lower it.

"Can't we just chalk this one up to the wind and relax?"

"What happened to you girly? You gone soft?"

"No, I just want to spend time with you… You can keep your bow right next to you and I'll hold onto my machete just in case, but I don't wanna just stand around waiting for someone to pop out of the woods. It's nerve racking." She shuffled through his bag on the side of his bike and pulled out a small machete, then sat on the shore of the creek bed, waiting for Daryl to join her. He stayed on point for a few moments more, then reluctantly lowered his weapon and walked to her, sitting beside her, still looking over at the woods occasionally to make sure there was no movement.

"So, what do you wanna talk about?" Sadie said, flipping the katana over in her hand.

"Why ya gimme your locket?" Daryl said, remembering the small metallic object still nestled in his hand.

"I told you… safekeeping,"

"Yeah, but… why me?" When he asked this question, he wasn't only talking about the locket, and Sadie caught on quickly, answering any context that sentence could have been taken in.

"Why not, Dixon," she muttered, still looking at the silvery blade in her hand, "You don't think your good enough?"

"I'm as good as any, I figure," Daryl mumbled, a small, half confident smirk crossing his lips.

"Better, if you ask me," She smiled, looking back up. Daryl's eyes continuously shifted to the woods.

"You got a peculiar taste in boys, Lorne," Daryl replied, matching Sadie's formal tone.

"What do you mean? You're not a 'boy'"

"No, but that Travis kid is," Daryl said, looking over at her momentarily. "I say peculiar cause… well, ya got him, some bleach blonde, Justin Bieber lookin' mother fucker who maybe has some book smarts but ain't got enough sense in 'im not to keep his hands off a lady… Stays outta the dirt… prolly squeals at the sight of a walker… then ya got me…"

"And what are you?" Sadie said, resting her hand on his knee where a whole rested in his jeans.

"You tell me," Daryl replied, looking back toward the woods.

"I think you're the exact opposite."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah," Sadie grinned, letting her guard down a little as she looked up at the night sky, "You know, before this whole thing, if I would have passed you on the street, I probably would have turned my nose up at you."

" 'n why's that?"

"Well, you're gross for starters… You're calloused and rough looking and pretty intimidating. I wasn't really into country boys back everything was normal,"

"Yeah, ya'd rather have somethin' like that Travis kid, huh? Why didn't ya just date a girl? Then you might have a fightin' chance when she smacked you round."

Sadie giggled, " It's not like that… I've known Travis since we were kids."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah… My step-dad used to beat the hell outta me and my sister and he was the only one to stand up for us," She said, smiling although her eyes were tearing up. "You wouldn't see it the way he treats me now… but Travis was the only reason I was able to toss my middle finger up at my step dad when my mom died. He used to make me feel so strong…" She looked at the ground as she drew her knees to her face. "I remember a while back, when I was fifteen I dated this kid named Tyler… He took my virginity, and when I told Travis he was so mad… cause he wanted me to wait 'til I was older but I thought I was grown up enough to handle that kinda stuff… turns out, I wasn't cause when he broke up with me I just shut down. I'd cry all the time just cause I wanted to take back what I'd done but I knew I couldn't. Travis used to tell me it was alright… that everybody makes mistakes, and he'd kiss the scars my step-dad left on me until I felt better."

"Scars?" Suddenly, Daryl felt more connected to her than before. Sadie turned her back, revealing long scars across it that Daryl had somehow missed when he was making love to her. He stared long and hard then mumbled, "I know how that goes."

"I saw yours, but I was afraid to ask… what happened?"

"My old man use to beat the livin' hell outta me 'n my brother when we was kids. He drank a lot I guess. Ya know, your kid sister was lucky. She had you to come home and share the pain with 'er… as for me, my brother started leavin' soon as he got the chance. He went out and done pills and whatever else he could get his hands on while I stayed home and took his share of the beatin'" Daryl muttered. "Can't blame 'im though, I guess." He picked up a rock between his legs and skipped it across the creek, watching as the water sucked it under.

"Madison never really got the bad end of it when it came to our step dad. Whenever he tried to touch her, I always stepped in and took it for her. I remember one time, Ralph was so mad. He had Madison cornered in the living room screaming at her cause she didn't clean our room that night and he raised her hand to hit her… and before I knew it, I was latched onto his back screaming and hitting him until he pummeled me on the couch and started smashing my face in… And she was just crying… and she went to mom and laid down on her, but mom was too weak to do anything but just stroke Maddy's hair while she cried." Daryl looked at the ground, imagining a similar scene with his dad.

"What… happened to your sister?"

"I'm not entirely sure…" Sadie's voice trailed off as she tried to work through the details in her head. "One minute we're sitting at the camp with a few other people and Travis, and the next, Travis is taking her in the woods so she can go pee. I remember they were gone for a bit, but didn't think anything of it until he came back screaming that a few walkers had come and one of them had Maddy. So I got up and ran to her, but by the time I got there, she already had a piece of her throat ripped out by one of the damn things, and even though they were all dead, she was screaming… begging me to shoot her but I couldn't. I tried to ask her what happened but the only thing she got out was Travis' name then… I guess the pain was too much and she took my gun from the holster and shot herself." More tears spewed from her eyes. Daryl went in to awkwardly comfort her when the noise came again from the brush. He quickly picked up his bow and stood, advancing to the woods as Sadie slid her clothes back on. "What do you think it is?" She whispered while wiping the tears from her face.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it's gonna die," Daryl said. He walked faster into the brush looking around. He didn't see anything at first, but a cleared area where the plants looked like some unknown creature had been standing. He scratched the back of his neck and looked around before exiting and heading back to the creek.

The scene was the same when he returned. No one was in sight. His belongings were exactly the way he'd left them, but Sadie was gone, lost in the night.


	9. One of Our Own

Sadie woke up tied to something that resembled a space heater that she had in her rickety home in Columbus. She tried to pull herself up but realized quickly that she had handcuffs around her left wrist, digging into her skin with each small tug. "D-Daryl?" She sputtered quietly, hoping he was somewhere in the darkness. "What the fuck?" She felt her clothes with her right hand and noticed they were drenched in some terrible smelling substance that she later realized was gasoline. She pulled harder at the cuff, hoping the radiator she was trapped against would give way from years of rust and allow her to slide her hand free.

"I don't know why you're struggling; you're smarter than that, pumpkin." She could tell before he emerged from the shadows who it was. That stupid nickname. That gruff, deep voice that she'd listened to every night in her adolescence, screaming at her.

"Ralph…" She glared into his large, brown eyes, his beer gut over taking most of her vision.

"Thought you could just up 'n leave me when your momma died, huh?"

"How the fuck did you find me?" She growled, pulling at her cuffs again.

"I had some help," He looked to his right as Travis walked toward her, a red gas can still in his sweating palms.

"Travis…" She was becoming light headed as the names she was reciting seemed to blend together.

"You left me, you bitch… You left me to rot in that prison while you ran off whoring yourself out to that Dixon bastard." Travis rasped, throwing the gas can and hitting her in the face with it.

"I was tired of being treated like some punching bag. You used to protect me from this asshole, now look at you! Letting him order you around, I suppose." Sadie said, hoping to press his buttons. She realized she'd pressed them a little too far when he kicked her in her side.

"Shut the fuck up!"

Suddenly, Sadie remembered her child, still developing inside her and resorted to begging. "No, no, no! Travis please don't!" He lowered his foot so he could listen to what she had to say. "Please don't hit my stomach… I'm begging you, do whatever you want just please don't-" She was cut off by her step father bashing her head into the metal monster behind her.

"I ain't never heard you beg before," he chuckled darkly, "What's wrong with you,"

"Why are you here?" Sadie sputtered, "Why aren't you dead?"

"Survival of the fittest,"

"Yeah, you're the fittest, right?" She rolled her eyes, only to have him grab her chin with his palm and pull it closer to him.

"You best keep that pretty little mouth shut, or I'll make sure you use it on something else," Ralph grumbled. Sadie could feel the rage building in her head as the gasoline continued to cloud her senses. Without thinking, she spat in his face, making him pull back for a moment to wipe her saliva from his features and order Travis to hold her down. Travis said nothing but did as he was told, uncuffing her and holding her body, face down on the wooden floor of whatever building they were in.

She had never felt so repulsed in her life as her step father took advantage of her in every way possible, and her ex-boyfriend, someone who used to protect her from him, watched menacingly in the corner of the room.

An eternity passed and he rolled off of her back, leaving a pool of sweat on her body which was too weak from the abuse and the gas fumes to even attempt to crawl away.

"You want a crack at 'er, boy?" Ralph laughed as he zipped up his jeans.

"No…" Travis mumbled, "She doesn't deserve it." His voice seemed tunneled and suddenly, Sadie lost consciousness again.

"Any ya'll seen, Sadie?" Daryl said after parking his bike at the prison.

"She's not come by here," Rick said, looking at him as the night air surrounded them. "I thought she was with you?"

"That's the thing… I went in the woods for two seconds to check 'n make sure we weren't bein' attacked 'n she disappeared. I looked all around the area but she wasn't nowhere in sight… like she just vanished or somethin'"

"She didn't come back here," Glenn said, looking into Daryl's concerned eyes.

"Alright, listen up!" Rick shouted into the cluttered cafeteria, "We've lost one of our own. Keep your eyes peeled for any suspicious behavior. Daryl here is gonna lead a group to go out and find her. If anyone notices anything out of th-"

"Where's Travis?" One of the Woodberry women shouted back looking around. Suddenly mumbles filled the prison as people shrugged and shook their heads, confused. Daryl's eyes widened and he rushed out, not even thinking of taking others with him.

Sadie regained her consciousness as Travis reopened the scars on her back with her machete. She tried to scream but only raspy air came out. Tears filled her eyes as he sat still on her back, carving her blade into scar tissue, causing her back to spasm. "W-Why?" Was the only word she could form.

"You remember when I told you not to give yourself to that Tyler guy… you were too young, I said… I should have been your first! You cut me when you gave yourself to that boy… and now… after all we've been through, you're gonna go fuck some other guy? You reopened my wounds, so I'm gonna reopen yours," He growled, digging her knife further into her back.

She waited through the hell he was creating until he climbed off of her and joined her stepfather who was sadistically smoking a cigarette a few feet away… then she remembered the gasoline.

"Wh-Why did you c-cover me in G-gas…" she stuttered, struggling with her words as blood mixed with the sweat on her back.

"So there won't be no evidence when we're good 'n done," Ralph said, taking a long drag from his cigarette. She looked up at him, her silver eyes graying. "Wouldn't want you turnin' into one of them walkers."

"Not only that, we can't have your little boyfriend finding out," Travis added, putting his boot on her back and pressing down, causing her to release more tears. She fought through them.

"I think y- you're afraid," She rasped, clawing at the air and closing her eyes, "You two thi-think you're m-men… b-but really you're jus-t boys… bo-boys who don't have en-ough common sense t-to keep th-their hands off a lady… Go a-ahead… kill me… D-Daryl will find you eventually… y-you can… you can bet on th-that…" Travis kicked her in the side harder than before, enraged by the faith she had put into Daryl.

"You wanna know something, you little bitch?" He growled, walking around and kneeling in front of her face. He grabbed her chin and pulled her up as tears and mucus flowed down her paling visage. "I used your little sister as walker bait. I saw 'em coming and instead of wasting the ammo or putting myself in danger, I let 'em tear your baby sister to pieces so I could get good and close with my knife…I watched her get ripped apart."

"You fucking ba-bastard," Sadie said, pathetically reaching for his shirt until he pulled away and dropped her back on the floor. "I… I should have k-killed you when I h-had the chance,"

"She's always sayin' that about somebody," Ralph barked from the corner. "Well, the chance was there pumpkin, He was just right in your face and what'd you do? Nothin' Like always, you just let everybody walk all over you."

"I-I can't do anything," Sadie moused, remembering a time far before the one she was experiencing.

"I wish you were dead… I wish YOU had the cancer and not momma!" a thirteen year old Sadie screamed as Ralph downed the last of his beer and threw the bottle at her face. She ducked and it shattered against the wall behind her.

"You can keep on dreamin' pumpkin, it ain't gonna happen."

"Sadie… momma's cryin'"

"Hush, Madison," Sadie said, pushing her sister behind her, "Keep throwing things! I don't give a damn! You know what? I don't care how much you hit me, or treat me and Maddy bad, cause the truth is, you're just some sad old man that nobody loves… not even my momma. She's only with you cause she can't leave. And one day, we're all gonna move away and leave you by yourself like you deserve to be and I'm gonna make something of myself!"

"Oh really now? You ain't goin anywhere you stupid little cunt!" Ralph swung at her again and blackened her eye, then repeatedly slammed her head against the wall while Madison hid in the corner covering her eyes, sobbing.

"Pl- Please… Pl-ease stop…" Maddy cried.

"You want me to stop!? Get over here!" He advanced toward her but Sadie stood, blood rushing over her face and hit him with the nearest thing she had, which was a small lamp sitting on the end table near her. From that point on, it was like drawing a bear away from its dinner. She continued to throw random objects at him until he pinned her down and beat her until she couldn't move.

She reminded him the same thing she had each time he hit her, "I would kill you if I could…"

She snapped back to reality as the smell of burning matches filled the room, mixing with the gasoline fumes. Ralph grinned, sinisterly advancing then kneeling over her, holding the match just far enough away from her that she didn't catch just then.

"Say hi to your momma, you dumb bitch…"


	10. Run Away

Daryl's hunter instinct seemed to pay off for the most part as he led Glenn and Tyreese through the woods, fully armed. He could see every move Sadie had made as she stumbled through the brush, seemingly dragged by some unknown force. Somewhere far in the distance he could smell something burning making him search faster to insure her safety.

"What if she's just not out here," Glenn mumbled, his feet feeling swelled from the walk.

"She is… she ain't the type to just up 'n run away."

"How do you know that?" Tyreese added, huffing as they pushed forward, "Maybe she got scared of the commitment and ran off, Daryl… Women do it all the time."

"In the middle of the end of the fuckin' world?" Daryl said, stopping and spitting into the leaves below him, sweat dripping from his brow although the sun had long since hidden for the night. He calmed himself, remembering he may need their help. "Nah… Sadie's a simple lil' thing. She wouldn't run on me like that… not just outta the blue anyway," They started walking again when Glenn dared to ask the question Tyreese was wondering as well.

"So… what exactly… **are** you and Sadie…"

"It don't take a rocket scientist to figure out we ain't just friends," Daryl mumbled, looking around the ground then pursuing his trail once more. He tried being nonchalant about breaking the news to the men in his trek, but it was a hard thing to explain. His brother's raspy voice chimed in his head once more.

_Yeah, yeah… good idea. Let 'em think your some kinda creep goin' in on a young girl like that._

Daryl dismissed the thought, silently reminding his brother that Sadie was already carrying his kid. There wasn't much that could be done about it now. They'd figure it out eventually.

"So… You banged her?" Tyreese mumbled reluctantly, half wanting to take his question back the second it escaped.

"Somethin' like that," Daryl smirked, stomping some poison ivy into the ground below him.

"Hey, how old is Sadie anyway? She's just a kid isn't she?" Glenn remarked. His tone was more curious than accusing.

"Nineteen…" Daryl replied. "Look, we here to talk about my business 'er find my girl? I can't stand around while ya'll two prod at me."

They pushed forward, the burning smell becoming stronger with each step.

In the small shack, nestled somewhere secret in the trees, Sadie fought against the radiator she was tied to, trying to inch away from her step-father's flame as he tried to catch the gasoline on her clothes. He teased her a bit by striking a match then blowing it out just before the flame spread across her shaking body, condemning her to her own hell. "Might need some more gas," Ralph mumbled to Travis as he watched her squirm. He nodded and walked outside to a car they'd found and siphoned fuel out of. Ralph turned to his beer and downed it while muttering something about how Sadie was an annoying little bitch just like her mother. "You know what I outta do?" He turned, finally speaking to her. "I outta leave you out here to rot… all alone in some little house with nobody, prayin' some walker came by to end your misery… so really, I'm doin' you a favor here, Pumkin… a real, big favor."

"How kind of you," Sadie mumbled defiantly, her grey eyes shifting up to him as her brow furrowed. He laughed, the noise bellowing from his gut made Sadie sick to her stomach as she thought about all the times he'd made her clean up his messes and take care of him, while she should have been taking care of her mother.

"Run away, Sadie… don't look back, even for a second… You go on and do what makes you happy for the rest of your life and don't you ever let nobody… especially Ralph, tell you you can't."

That was the last thing her mother had ever said to her. She died on a Sunday morning, holding Sadie's arm while her husband watched football in the other room. After her mom died, Sadie went out and dyed her hair fire engine red, adding the black underlayer later… she then started convincing the boys at the tattoo parlor to practice on her with her tattoo ideas even though she was only seventeen. Travis loved every second of her rebellious phase until she realized she didn't need him anymore.

"Travis…" Sadie mumbled, sitting on the picnic blanket he'd set out for them by the lake.

"Yeah, baby?"

"You ever think… we're growing apart from each other?"

"What? No!"

"I dunno… maybe we just thought we were in love 'cause I was so young… maybe we're just real good friends,"

"What are you saying, Sadie? I told you I wouldn't ever let you go, and now you're just gonna drop me?"

"No! All I'm saying is, maybe we should try seeing other people… maybe we're not the same people we used to be… I'll always be your friend, Trav. No matter what."

_No matter what._

Those were the words that Sadie regretted the most as Travis returned with another can of gasoline. The door creaked shut behind him as his boots clattered across the floor in an emotional mess. He mumbled unintelligible phrases, most of them ending with "That stupid bitch."

"Trav…" Sadie choked, her eyes watering from the fumes he'd brought with him. Travis looked up at her after noticing her step father was half asleep in the corner. "You don't have to do this, Travis…"

"You left me… you left me again and I didn't know what to do with myself." Travis said, kneeling near her, his eyes wild.

"I wouldn't leave you… I was coming right back… we just went to the creek for a while,"

"To fuck!" Angry tears were forming as his voice went up in key. "I hate you, Sadie. I hate you with every fiber of my being because you didn't keep your promise. Remember… you said you'd never leave."

"I was fifteen, for God's sake!" Travis threw the gasoline on her again, then struck another match. "What, you're not gonna wake your little sidekick up?"

"I don't give a damn if he burns with you…He was just a tool… always has been to make you feel bad."

In the last second before Travis dropped the match, Sadie shouted, "I'm pregnant!" He paused, looking at her like a deer in headlights.

"Wh-What…"


	11. Nothing Good to Say

Travis staggered back, barely remembering to wave the match out as he sat across from Sadie, her body still drenched in the gasoline he'd splashed on her. His mouth was still quivering and silently mouthing the word "what?" to her over and over, as the moments passed by with no answer. Sadie, realizing she had control of the situation once more, mumbled, "untie me so I can actually talk to you."

He moved toward her and popped the handcuffs from her swollen wrist shortly before he fell back to his previous position on the musty wooden floor. She stood, looking more like a fawn learning to walk than a strong, young woman, her manicured nails broken and dirty, her black and red hair tangled and knotted from the struggle. A standing mirror in the corner made her realize what a mess she was. Not that it mattered. She was too weak to stand any longer and she fell on the floor next to Travis, her hand somehow making it to his knee as he stared dead ahead. In the opposite corner, Sadie's step father disappeared in the shadows of the broken house although his snores were still evident throughout the room.

"I… Just found out not too long ago," Sadie rasped, finding it harder to talk with her mouth as dry as cotton.

"Is… it…" Travis couldn't find the words to say, his mind was so jumbled with inconceivable thoughts that his girlfriend had conceived a child.

"Is it yours?" Sadie finished his sentence for him, the gasoline still filling her head. She searched for a lie. Travis wasn't dumb. He should have known there was no way Sadie could be bearing his kid considering what she'd told Daryl was right… they hadn't done anything like that since the world had gone to hell. Maybe he'd buy it though and it could buy her enough time to get out and get back to Daryl. "Y-Yeah…"

"You… didn't sound too sure," Travis mumbled, wiping his eyes as tears came to them.

"Yes, it's your kid Trav… has to be?"

"Why's that?"

"I didn't… I didn't do anything with Daryl until after I found out… I'm so sorry I fucked around with that backwoods hick, Travis… All I ever wanted was to be with you… I was just… so confused." She cried as the bitter lies poured from her mouth. Travis set his hand on hers as she trembled, unsure if her ruse was working.

"Let's get you back and cleaned up." He started to stand.

"What about him?" Sadie said, looking toward Ralph who was still unconscious on the floor.

Travis was quiet for a moment, then he helped her up and shoved her toward the door, emptying the rest of the gas around the house. "Head back to the prison…" He tossed a rifle that was sitting against the wall in her direction and she caught it and tossed it over her shoulder. "I'll take care of this…" As Sadie limped for the door, Travis looked back for her, the same evil glare returning to his eyes, "Sadie, don't run on me… Straight to the prison."

"R-Right…" She pushed her way out as Travis shuffled through the abandoned home, finishing the job he'd intended for Sadie.

Meanwhile, Daryl pushed onward to find a campfire nestled in the woods, burning steadily as the occupants of the camp lay ripped to shreds by a few walkers that Daryl put down soon after they discovered the area. He scratched his chin, disgruntled. "Guess she ain't here," he mumbled, looking around for more clues.

"These woods are massive… there's no way we can look all over Daryl. Maybe it's best if we just go back an-"

"No!" Daryl advanced toward him angrily, "Ya'll go back if you want but I ain't leavin' until I find 'er. She ain't gonna end up like Sophia… she ain't gonna end up alone in the woods. I'm gonna find er and bring er home." Glenn was silent as he wiped the sweat from his brow, Daryl's passionate eyes lit up by the fire in the darkness.

"It's late Daryl… They need us at the prison for security," Glenn moused, gathering the courage to turn away. In an instant, Glenn and Tyreese disappeared in the trees, leaving Daryl to sit on a log around the camp and listen to Merle growl at him in his head.

_She ain't worth all this and you know it, brother._

"She's havin' my kid…"

_Yeah, an' that ain't gonna matter if she'd dead out there is it? You're wastin' your time out here, Daryl… Just head back with yer friends. Let 'er rot out here. Why should you care?_

Daryl was quiet and didn't bother arguing with his brother, who he could almost see squatting on the log across from him. In the back of his mind, he wanted to take his advice and walk home, but he knew he'd hate himself more. His thoughts were interrupted as some leaves crunched in the distance, sending echoes through the night air. He turned his bow in the direction of the noise after standing, half expecting Sadie's undead corpse to stagger from the brush and crawl after him. Instead, he heard her whimpering quietly from the pressure of walking through the woods with her already damaged body.

When she saw him, her first instinct was to run and fall into his arms, finally feeling safe again after hours of torment, but instead, she composed herself, and kept walking, pushing further into the woods without a word.

"Sadie…" Daryl walked toward her, trying to catch her before she disappeared again. He grabbed her arm but she smacked him away, tears filling her eyes once more.

"Get off of me." He looked at her messy hair and her shattered silhouette as she backed away, covered in blood, sweat, and obviously gasoline. He hadn't seen a girl this broken down in a long time.

For the first time in his life, Daryl Dixon was at a loss for words. He was silent as her tears ran down her face in front of him until the question finally escaped his mind. "What happened to you?"

Sadie scoffed a bit, unsure of what to say herself. She knew somewhere deep down that she couldn't blame Daryl for what happened. He had no way of knowing, but, for some reason, she felt that Daryl should have protected her somehow. In her mind, Daryl was some sort of superhero who could tackle any task and save her from anything… but he didn't. Passed all that, she knew that she couldn't be close to Daryl… not until after the baby was born if it had even survived the brutalities that she had. She looked at him, her once platinum eyes grey and dull with black rings forming around them in the night. "I fell…" She pushed forward, tears overflowing and leaving acid streams on her face. Daryl grabbed her once again and pushed her against a tree to corner her, but quickly realized his mistake as Sadie yelped out in pain. The scar tissue on her back stung and the pain lingered as she sank to his feet, sobbing.

"God damnit, it hurts!" She cried, balling her fists together against her eyes.

"I…" He was quiet again, as he thought back to a time before he knew young Sadie.

"God damn it, Daryl, you always fuck up everything!" Merle growled as his little brother stood across their room in their rickety trailer. "When you gonna learn just ta keep yer mouth shut!?"

"He asked if ya came home last night an' I told him ya didn't. It was the honest ta God truth, Merle. It ain't done no good lyin'"

"We'll get beat either way! How bout this… how bout from here on out, I do all the talkin'. You just stand there an' look pretty from now on… you ain't never got nothin' good ta say."

Merle's voice chimed in his head again as he looked at Sadie curled on the woodland floor.

_You always fuck up everything… When you gonna learn just ta keep yer mouth shut?_

In a last attempt to get her to safety, Daryl held out his hand and mumbled "least lemme take ya home… then you ain't gotta have anythin' to do with me… don't even gotta tell me what happened. I jus' wanna get you home, little lady."

Sadie stood, her wounds still reminding her of every second in the house hiding in the woods and she prayed that Travis wouldn't find her walking with Daryl. Until he did, she enjoyed every second of her fingers intertwined in his calloused hand for what could be the last time.


	12. Lost Time

Somehow, months had passed. Sadie opened her eyes to another day in her cell, suffocated by Travis' grasp as she lay in the musty room. She managed to squirm out of his arms, her large stomach keeping her from standing, her unborn child kicking inside, excited that mommy had woken up for another miserable day.

Sadie had noticed that her kid only got excited for three reasons.

The sound of music.

When Sadie laughed.

And when Daryl was talking nearby.

She chalked the last one up to her own silly superstition that the baby knew who its father was, even if Travis didn't.

It had to have been early in the day judging by how the sun sat lazily among the dawn clouds. She decided to go for a walk and get away from Travis while he was still unconscious and unable to stop her. As she walked along the cell blocks with a knife in one hand she hummed quietly, remembering how grateful she was that the baby was still alive after all Travis had put her through.

She also remembered that her stepfather had burned alive. That gave her a sense of peace that even if there was no hell, Ralph had died in unbearable pain, and that was the last thing he would ever feel. She remembered the wounds that Travis had reopened and, although they were long since healed, still felt them sting on her back every now and then. She remembered Daryl's hand holding tightly onto hers, his callouses enveloping her soft palms in a reassuring way, promising he wouldn't let go until he had to… and he did when they reached the prison and Hershel took her to a cell to clean her wounds.

She hadn't associated with him since then. Travis came back shortly after Daryl handed her to Hershel and the couple offered no back story to how the wounds had been created in the first place.

Sometimes, though, she wished that Daryl had killed Travis… or that she had enough strength to stand up to him herself. She was too afraid for her baby though. Questions racked her brain as she walked down the stairs of block C.

How long had it been since that night?

How long would it be until the baby arrived?

Would Daryl ever talk to her again?

Her question was answered when she stumbled into something solid but warm and looked up as her tune caught in her throat with surprise. For a moment, she thought of scurrying away, hiding in some place, away from his steel blue eyes but she shook the thought from her head and stood her ground instead. "Hey." She muttered, feeling as though she'd committed some sort of sin just from talking to him.

"… Hey." The baby kicked gently, and Sadie's eyes widened uncomfortably.

"The um… baby is kicking."

Daryl was silent, his eyes almost piercing through her. Sadie stood, searching for words within the cellblock walls but none came to her and they stood still. She moved from his path, allowing him the option to escape the awkward situation. Instead, he turned and moved his hand toward her bulging stomach but stopped and pulled away, just before touching her. His eyes met hers for reassurance and he mumbled a solemn, "May I?" She nodded and the baby kicked against Daryl's hand just as she touched her. "Strong lil thing, ain't he?" Daryl said, letting a small grin escape him.

"How are you so sure it's a boy?"

"Dixon genes."

Sadie was quiet again, and she let her hand rest on Daryl's. "He's yours, Daryl… he'll always be yours."

"I know that. I don't give a damn what that kid says… just waitin' for the right time."

"Wha-"

Daryl's lips crashed into hers and he left her standing, shocked in the stairwell. She tried to convince her feet to follow him, but she couldn't. It had been too long since she'd been anything close to the strong, independent person she'd been before. Feeling light headed, she sat on the steps cradled her head in her hands, feeling her baby roll around in discontent.

Meanwhile, Daryl continued his walk back to the cafeteria, passing the cell where Travis lay still asleep. He felt his teeth involuntarily grind against each other as his fists clenched in his hands. Merle appeared around a corner and Daryl walked in a storage area, prepared for another conversation with himself.

_Why ain't you killed that bastard yet?_

"Rick says I can't… Says he needs to be around for the baby… even if he is an ass."

_So, officer friendly thinks that bleach blonde son of a bitch is the baby daddy? _He scoffed _ Figures. An' you ain't got nothin' to say 'bout it? _

"We got enough problems. This ain't Springer. I'm tryna keep the peace as long as possible. Least 'til tha baby comes round."

_That's what bein' round all these people taught ya. Ya gone soft. If'n it was me sittin' around watchin' that creep push that girl around-_

_ "_She ain't some delicate lil pansy that can't take care of 'er self. Yer actin' like she can't handle anythin"

_Maggie wasn't no flower either… not til the govner got ahold of er at least._

Daryl shook his head, "nah, nah, nah… that kid… he couldna held her down like that… he don't have the guts to force himself on her." His voice trailed off as he looked into Merle's dull, grey face. "You don't think he… raped 'er do ya?" The word felt like daggers in his throat.

_I'm just sayin' I ain't seen a girl that broken down in a long, long time._ As quickly as he'd appeared, Merle was gone, lost in the rage in Daryl's eyes.

Daryl turned and started back toward Travis' cell, blinded by fury. The door crashed after sliding over quickly; waking Travis in the instant it made the sound. There was no time for early morning confusion. Daryl slammed Travis against the wall near his bed, pinning him by his neck. "Wh-What the fuck, man!?" Travis growled, unable to move against Daryl's strong forearm.

"Me and you are gonna go for a ride, kid." Daryl said, grabbing his arm and pulling him out of his cell. He led Travis down the corridor, his heavy steps echoing through the halls, joining in Travis' shouts of protest. The clatter made everyone run to the scene, unsure of what to do as Daryl forced Travis forward by his collar.

Carol, afraid that Daryl would do something he'd later regret, stepped in his path, but Rick pulled her back, grumbling a quiet "Let him go." Daryl noticed none of this as his tunnel vision led him to his truck and he shoved Travis in the passenger seat and held his bow to his head.

"Try anythin' and I'll kill ya right here," His voice was low and terrified Travis enough to sit still in the truck until Daryl started it and revved down the drive way.

As soon as the event had started, it was over and they had vanished out of the gate which was quickly shut by Michonne. The group stared out of the prison as the blue truck disappeared in the distance, and the mumbled rumors started right away. They were interrupted by a faint whimper in the distance, and all heads turned to Sadie standing inside, holding her stomach, her pants soaked with her broken water.


End file.
